Truth and Cosequences
by Kate Barancik
Summary: Aeris is alive and she's brought someone with her
1. Wonderwall

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Truth and Consequences:

Wonderwall

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7 nor do I own the song Wonderwall. FF7 is owned by Square and Wonderwall is owned by Oasis and Epic.

Summary: Aeris is found, as is her savior.

Rating: I'd say a PG-13

Author's Note: Hi! You should probably read the prologue before reading this, it'll make more sense for you then. By the way, I love Oasis.

Today is going to be the day

That they're gonna throw it back to you

By now you should have

Realized what you gotta do

I don't believe that anybody

Feels the way I do about you now

Backbeat the word is on the street

That the fire in your heart is out

I'm sure you've heard it all before

But you never really had a doubt

I don't believe that anybody

Feels the way I do about you now.

And all the roads we have to walk are winding

And all the lights that lead us there are blinding

There are many things that I would

Like to say to you

But I don't know how

Because maybe

You're gonna be the one that saves me?

And after all 

You're my wonderwall

Today was gonna be the day?

But they'll never throw it back to you

By now you should've

Realized what you gotta do.

I don't believe that anybody

Feels the way I do 

About you now

All the roads that lead you there are winding

All the lights that lead the way are blinding

There are many things that I would like to say to you

But now I don't know how

I said maybe

You're gonna be the one that saves me?

And after all 

You're my wonderwall

I said maybe

You're gonna be the one that saves me?

And after all 

You're my wonderwall

I said maybe

You're gonna be the one that saves me

You're gonna be the one that saves me

You're gonna be the one that saves me

"Wonderwall" by Oasis

Dark skies hovered above them as they waited for someone to answer the big metal door in front of them. Vincent knocked bravely on the door as the rest, except Cloud, huddled behind him. His metal hand met with the metal in a strong knock. The rest of the group stared at the door anxiously. For behind this door was Aeris, their fallen comrade.

A man in a white lab coat opened the door. He was young, 22, and had short gray hair. That wasn't what surprised the group, however. He looked exactly like Sephiroth. Cloud was about to reach for his sword when Vincent laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Are you Seth McGregor?" asked Vincent. Cid pushed his way through to the front of the crowed and stood next to Cloud.

"More f*cking importantly, is Aeris in there?" Cid asked, apparently not affected by this man's Sephiroth-like looks.

"She is. Please, come in. I'm happy you made it," The man said, "My name is Seth McGregor, Dr. Seth McGregor."

The group entered the room, it was brightly lit, but still only Tifa noticed a women with long brown hair that had been tied up with a pink ribbon. She wore a long flowing pink dress with purple triming. Everyone's eyes followed Tifa's.

"Aeris?" Cloud asked. The girl turned around to face them. At that moment, Cloud felt every muscle in his body fling into life again. He ran to her as fast as his body could carry his soul.

"I missed you, Cloud," Aeris's sweet voice rang in his ear. The voice he'd missed so much. The voice that, in that moment, saved his very soul from destroying itself.

"My holy God, He brought you back to us," Cid said as the others began to hug their very much-missed friend. Vincent gave her a sweet smile and returned back to Yuffie's side. Before he could say anything to his sweet, she ran to Aeris and gave her the biggest hug she could muster.

"Oh, Aeris, we missed you so much. You can't imagine how much you missed," Yuffie jabbered.

"It's good to see you, too, Yuffie," Aeris replied. Yuffie turned to look at Seth, who was nervously looking at his shoes. He looked up, feeling her gaze and rest his steady blue eyes on her.

"You saved one of my best friends. How can we ever repay this debt we have to you?" Yuffie asked. The others looked at him with contempt. All except Cloud. 

"There is nothing I need from you, I was merely saving some one who was missed by loving friends," Seth answered coolly. Cloud stood five feet in front of him.

"Join AVALANCHE. It's the least I can offer. You will be able to do more good than ever thought possible," Cloud nearly begged of Seth.

Seth thought for a moment. He looked down into Aeris's pleading eyes. He gave a sigh and nodded his head with his reply," Very well."

Aeris gave him a hug. With that, AVALANCHE had an old member back and a mysterious new one.

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To Be Continued…

Note: There will be more to the Truth and Consequences seris. Up next, the gang finds out how Seth brought Aeris back and a little about his past (obviously he's related to Sephiroth, seeing as he looks just like him.)Stay tuned. 


	2. Playing God

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Truth and Consequences:

Playing God

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, but I will. Oh, yes, I will. Mwaha ha ha ha ha! Sorry, I'll stop now. 

Summary: Just why did Seth bring Aeris back?

Rating: PG-13, Cid and all his swearing, and a bit of violence.

Author's Note: All right! The 2nd part to the series. Everyone rejoyce (yeah). Well, I'm happy. Wheeeee! See.

"Shit!" Cid yelled as he dropped a hammer on his foot. He bent down to pick up the hammer as the door to his work room opened. He looked up to see Vincent standing in the doorway.

"Are you having a problem, Cid? Or are you having another swearing contest with yourself?" Vincent asked.

"No, I'm just a little distracted."

"Why, Cid, I had no idea you felt that way about me."

"Not you, dumbass. That Seth guy. Haven't you noticed that he bares a striking resemblance to our old departed buddy, Sephiroth?"

"It is probably all just in your head," Vincent said, "He looks nothing like Sephiroth. It must be all them drugs you are taking."

"Shut up, you bastard!" Cid yelled, laughing. Just before a screwdriver Cid threw could hit him, Vincent quickly shut the door. When Cid was sure Vincent would not bother him again, he started back with fixing his water logged PHS.

Aeris stood beside Seth as he took it upon himself to help Cloud with his own water logged PHS. Yuffie walked in and sat down in a chair that faced them. She threw a questioning look to Aeris.

"Cloud and Seth decided it was a good idea to find the necklace I lost last week. Long story short, they fell off the side of the Highwind into the water while looking for it."

"Where's Cid?" Yuffie asked. Before Aeris could answer, Vincent walked in.

"He's in his repair room attempting to fix his," Vincent answered as he sat down next to Yuffie. Seth let out a sigh as he and Cloud tried the PHS.

"Can you hear me, Cid?" Cloud asked into his PHS. Static followed soon after.

"I read ya, buddy," Cid's voice came back, "Can we please assemble our selves in the board room, please?"

"He sounds professional, that is never a good sign with Cid," Vincent observed.

"Shut the f*ck up, Vince," Cid replied from the door. They all looked up to him. He motioned for him to fallow him to the boardroom.

The sun was hot on his shoulders, but in the same second it cooled him. Seth stood high above the rest of Midgar. The people looked so small in the president's office of the Shinra building. The sun was shining on his black shirt from through the thick glass.

"I have a new project for you, Seth," Hojo's voice traveled to him from the other side of President Rufus Shinra's desk. Seth did not turn around, not out of fear, but out of hatred.

Hatred for his father Hojo.

They sat around and listened to what Seth said. When he said Hojo was his father they all went wide eyed. He looked at them with surprise.

"You knew him, I see," Seth concluded. The others could only nod their heads. He gave a nervous smile as they drew to themselves to Seth's next secret; he was Sephiroth's brother.

"He's your brother," Cid said and Seth nodded, "Your damn brother."

Hojo walked to his youngest son's side. Seth's inside boiled with pure hate as his father placed an arm around his shoulders. Hojo looked out to the crushed quadrant of Midgar.

"I want you to bring her back before she can help them, son. It can be your first experiment in the resurrection of the dead," Hojo tried to convince his apprentice.

"No," Seth answered simply. He slipped out from under Hojo's arm and left the office. They would never see each other again.

"But I did it anyway. When I say how much you missed her, I just had to. She deserved to finish her life," Seth said, giving Aeris a friendly smile. They saw the truth in his eyes, but Vincent saw something else, he always did.

" I was playing God, it's that simple. I knew how to bring her back and did. Some would disagree with what I did, but you loved her so much I had to bring her back."

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without you I never would have gotten my angel back," Cloud said. He turned to Aeris, "Marry me."

"What?" Aeris asked, bewildered. Cloud smiled at her and slipped a small gold band adorned with a heart shaped diamond on her finger.

"I love you," He whispered softly.

"Your such a damn girl," Cid said, voice wavering. Seth smiled as Cloud and Aeris as they kissed. He hadn't the heart to tell them his other secret, the one that would rip them a part.

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To Be Continued…

End Note: Next time on an all new episode of Truth and Consequences; Seth spills his little secret and Aeris spills hers. What will be the consequences. You'll have to wait and see. 


	3. Truth

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Truth and Consequences:

Truth

Disclaimer: Dude, I totally don't own FF7, Square does. Bummer.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: All the secrets come out. Seth's POV

Author's Note: Cool, I finally got to the third part. Shweet! Enjoy.

I opened my eyes that morning and realized, I have to tell her before it's too late. Then, I realized it all ready was too late. I love her and she will never know. Never, because I can't hurt her that bad. She should not have to choose between me and him. How could she?

The group sits down at the converse table in the Highwind and stare at me. I give them a look that asks them what's going on. She tells me that they want to know about my past, all of it. I look at each of them, take a deep breath, and I lock eyes with her. Then, I tell them my story.

I was created in a lab by my father, Hojo. He kept me at the Shinra building in an incubator until it was safe for me to be "born". My mother, Jenova, was being kept at Shinra for their little tests on her. I never knew her, never met her; never wanted to.

My brother, on the other hand, I met. If I remember clearly, it was a short time before he had gone completely nuts. Hojo introduced us. It was the one thing I was grateful to him for. I had been glad to meet my brother before he'd gone crazy.

When I was no more than 12 I started working for Shinra as a research scientist. My father employed my under what was called "The Legion Project". It was science used to raise the dead, particularly, a women named Lucrecia. I asked who she was and was told by Hojo that she had been the one who had given birth to Sephiroth. 

We started with animals until one day he told me we should try it on a human. I was against his ruthless ideas from that day forth. 

"Hojo, I can't. It is unethical to say the least," I argued to him. He stood across from me in the board room of the Shinra building.

"Seth, the president wants results and he wants them with humans. He does not give a damn if some 15 year old kid thinks it's unethical," Hojo calmly replied. I had always hated it when he would do that. The worst thing about it was that he knew how much it irritated me.

"I won't be a part of this. Never. Not ever," I yelled back, despite myself. Hojo looked back calmly. His look told me that he knew I'd give in sooner or later. It was than that I punched my father, braking his nose.

As his blood spilled onto the floor I ran out as fast as I could and did not return until many years later.

It was three months after my twenty-first birthday when I'd heard of poor Aeris's death and that her killer was none other then my own brother, my own flesh and blood. I had never agreed with the project but, as I had said before, I just could not let such beauty die.

After my father's death I went on the search for this girl. By the time I found her deceased body Meteor was already gone. She was strong, even in death. The first expiriment was completed when Aeris opened her beautiful eyes and smiled at me.

I kept her with me and helped her gain her strength back for a year before writing Cloud and telling him his beloved Aeris was alive and as pretty as ever. The rest, as they say is history.

There was one important detail I left out of my story, in that year and two months I kept Aeris I had fallen in love with her. It was to my belief that she had fallen in love with me as well. When she agreed to marry Cloud, it was like a knife ripped through my heart.

"I love you, Aeris," I whisper to her in the dead of night on the deck of the Highwind. She looks at me with what I believe was a spot of confusion. Her eyes went down to that shiny diamond Cloud had placed on her finger not a day ago. Aeris's eyes found mine again.

"I love you, too, Seth," Aeris replied. At first I thought I had mistaken her, but then those soft lips pressed themselves against my own. We put our arms around each other. We were so caught up in the moment we didn't even hear the approaching footsteps.

"What the hell are you doing!" Cid's voice exploded behind us.

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TO BE CONTINUED…

End Note: Okay, was it good. Please review and tell me. J


	4. Consequences

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Truth and Consequences:

Consequences

Disclaimer: You know the routine by now. I don't own this game. Good old Squaresoft does.

Summary: It all comes crashing down. Cloud's POV

Rating: Language, violence

Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long, but I've been really caught up in playing Final Fantasy 9 right now. BTW, FF9 is the coolest f*cking game in the world.

That dirty son of a bitch. I made friends with him and he stole my girl. Not that I blame him, he spent enough time alone with her to qualify them for husband and wife in my old hometown. Don't get me wrong, I'm still majorly pissed at them for not telling me before I made a fool of myself and asked her to marry me.

They left the Highwind after I had punched Seth in the face and yelled so loudly at Aeris that I made her cry. Never had I made her cry, never did I think I would have to. Seth kicked my face and broke my damn nose when Aeris had started to cry. I guess I deserved it, though. 

Seth took Aeris by the hand and left the Highwind soon after kicking me. That was nearly a week ago. Nobody, not even Aeris's mom, has heard from them since. Cid decided he and the others should go looking for them, just incase they are hurt somewhere. I went, but not of my own free will. I just had to make sure Aeris was all right.

Vincent was slightly angry with me for resorting to such violence. He was especially mad that I had yelled at Aeris. In time, about 20 minutes, he forgave me. I guess Vincent understands the whole thing because it happened between him and Lucrecia. However, to my knowledge, he handled it a lot better than I did.

Yuffie was **REALLY** mad at me, since Aeris is like her big sister, Seth was always nice to her, and I was always a jerk to her. It kinda gave her a perspective on whom to hate the most. My good buddy Vincent kept her from killing me.

Cid and Tifa stayed mum about it. I knew why Tifa was, but I was not that sure about Cid. He was the one who told me that they had been kissing on the deck late the night they ran off. He just stayed up by the wheel, Tifa keeping him company.

So far, we have looked over the entire western continent looking for them to no avail. Every person we talked with said they had not seen them. If by some wondrous miracle someone had seen them, the person would tell us that they were long gone by now.

Yesterday we went to Reeve's new mayor's office to see if he had any records for Seth and Aeris for the last week. Reeve left for a few minutes and returned with a single piece of paper and a dull look on his face.

"What's wrong, Reeve," Cid asked, that had pretty much been the only thing he had said all day. 

"It's a marriage license for Seth McGregor and Aeris Gainsbrough," Reeve replied with a colorless face. He looked up and locked eyes with me. I didn't notice everybody else's reaction; I was too busy loosing my temper.

At that very moment I yelled out so many swear words, it put Cid to shame. Yuffie ended up having her ears plugged by Vincent (later he would tell me that he didn't think what I was saying should be heard by a lady). When I was done most off my anger was gone, but the gang still acted a little nervous around me.

"The address on the letter," Reeve continued, "is under Aeris's mother's residence."

"Thanks, Reeve. That information should really help us," Vincent replied. He grabbed me by my wrist and we walked to Elmyram's house. 

So, now you are caught up in this twisted little soap opera I call life. Except for the part where I brake Seth's nose when he answers the door. There, now you are officially caught up.

I stand in front of Aeris, a deer caught in headlights. She can not stand to even look at me as we stroll in her garden. No longer is she upset about me yelling at her. Instead, she is upset that I hate her.

"I don't hate you Aeris. I never could hate you. I'm not very fond of Seth right now, but I still care about you." I plead with her. She turns to look at me now, tears streaming down her face and I realize that this is the hardest moment of my life.

"I am so sorry I didn't tell you. I do love you, Cloud. I just love Seth more,"

Aeris explains to me.

__

Oh God, why is this so hard!

My heart feels like it being pulled in my chest by a million fishhooks. My head begs my heart to stop feeling the way it feels, but when I look up into those eyes, I remember why I love her.

__

Let her be happy with him.

In one second I throw my arms around her and smother her in a huge hug. I feel as though my love for her is oozing from my skin to hers in one last chance to reclaim what should rightfully be mine. I hold her in my arms until I can not bare being this close to her and not having her for myself.

"I love you," I whisper into her ear softly. A single tear of hers lands on my cheek as I sweetly give her one last kiss. I can feel it tracing a hot trail down to my chin where it drops onto my cloths. She slowly moves away from me and opens her eyes.

"I love you, too," Aeris whispers back. The most painful moment of my life just got worse. My heart tears in half as she moves away form me into her house. The tears that had threatened to leak out have finally spilled out; covering the line left behind by Aeris's own tear.

She loves me. That's what she said. She loves me, just not enough. Not as much as Seth. Never as much as Seth. I was in love with her and she was married to another guy. A guy who looks nearly identical to the man who killed her. 

I hope Seth realizes how lucky he is. He has my angel and if he ever hurts in any way, shape, or form, I will kill him. As long as she's happy I can play the part of the supportive best friend, but if I try to be something I'm not for too long I will go crazy. When Aeris decides she would rather be with me than that jackass, I'll be here waiting for my angel to return to me.

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THE END!

End Note: Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! It's done! J Smiles free! J


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